misplace
gb/mɪsplˈeɪs/ us/mɪsplˈeɪs/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
lose by putting somewhere wrong
To put something somewhere and then not know where it is.
Usage pattern:
[someone] misplaces [something]
Common mistake:
Learners often use “misplace” when they mean “replace” (put back) or “displace” (move out of position).
Synonyms
lose (More general; “misplace” suggests you put it somewhere yourself.)
|
mislay (Close in meaning but more formal and more common in British English.)
|
put down (Informal; focuses on setting something down somewhere.)
Antonyms
find (Locate something that was missing.)
|
keep track of (Continue to know where something is.)
|
put away (Store something in its proper place.)
Collocations
misplace your keys
|misplace your phone
|misplace your wallet
|misplace a document
|misplace a receipt
|misplace paperwork
|misplace a file
|misplace a letter
|misplace your glasses
|misplace your passport
Themes
daily_life
|objects
|memory
Examples
- I’ve misplaced my house keys again—have you seen them?
- She misplaced the receipt and couldn’t return the jacket.
- We must have misplaced the contract during the move.
Learner examples
- I misplaced my phone.
- He misplaced his card and looked everywhere.
Verb
B2
action
2
put in an incorrect position
To put something in the wrong position or in the wrong place in a group.
Usage pattern:
[someone] misplaces [something] (in/within [something])
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse with “misplace” meaning “lose”; here it often means something is in the wrong position (e.g., a decimal point, a page, a file).
Synonyms
place incorrectly (Direct and neutral; less idiomatic than “misplace.”)
|
position wrongly (Emphasizes the physical or visual position.)
|
misalign (Often used for parts or elements that no longer line up.)
Antonyms
place correctly (Put in the intended place or position.)
|
position properly (Arrange in the right position within a set.)
|
align (Make parts line up as intended.)
Collocations
misplace a decimal point
|misplace a page
|misplace a paragraph
|misplace a comma
|misplace a figure
|misplace a document in the wrong folder
|misplace an entry
|misplace a line in a spreadsheet
|misplace items on a shelf
Themes
work
|writing
|numbers
|organization
Examples
- If you misplace a decimal point, the total will be completely wrong.
- Someone misplaced the report in the wrong client folder.
- The editor noticed we’d misplaced a paragraph from the introduction.
Learner examples
- I misplaced a page in my report.
- He misplaced the number in the table.
Verb
C1
action
3
direct trust or blame wrongly
To trust or blame the wrong person, or to feel something toward the wrong target.
Usage pattern:
[someone] misplaces [trust/confidence/blame/anger] (in/on [someone/something])
Common mistake:
In this meaning, “misplace” is often used with abstract nouns (trust, blame). Learners sometimes try to use it for physical movement only.
Synonyms
misdirect (Emphasizes aiming a feeling or judgment at the wrong target.)
|
err (More formal; focuses on making a mistake in judgment.)
|
put wrongly (General phrase; less precise than “misplace.”)
Antonyms
place appropriately (Direct something to the right person or thing.)
|
judge correctly (Reach the right conclusion about someone or something.)
|
trust rightly (Give trust where it is deserved.)
Collocations
misplace your trust
|misplace your confidence
|misplace blame
|misplace anger
|misplace hope
|misplace your loyalty
|misplace suspicion
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|communication
Examples
- You’ve misplaced your trust in him—he doesn’t have the experience for this job.
- It’s easy to misplace blame when the situation is stressful.
- She apologized for misplacing her anger on her coworkers.
Learner examples
- Don’t misplace your trust in strangers.
- He misplaced the blame on me.
Grammar
Dictionary form
misplace
IPA
GB/mɪsplˈeɪs/
US/mɪsplˈeɪs/
Syllables & stress
mis - place (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (place)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: misplace
- 3rd Person Singular: misplaces
- Present Participle: misplacing
- Past: misplaced
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.